FloWrestler of the Week: Vitali Arujau, NY

FloWrestler of the Week: Vitali Arujau, NY

Oct 4, 2015 by Ryan Holmes
FloWrestler of the Week: Vitali Arujau, NY
The high school season has even begun yet, and we’ve already been given one of the biggest upsets of the year.
 
All week leading up to the match between #4-Vitali Arujau and #2-Nick Suriano, everyone was stewing about what was to come and these too hammers did not disappoint. Arujau immediately took the aggressive approach as he used a great deal of movement to get the “steal cage” that is Suriano to open up on their feet. But there was no getting by the three-time New Jersey state champ’s impenetrable head and hands defense, although, it did garner a stall warning on Suriano in the second period.
 
But the period that solidifies the monster status of the Fargo champ is the third when Arujau opted to go underneath Suriano, who is known to have a tough top game with an inside wrist ride that has his opponents pinned to the mat. Anyway, Arujau fought off Suriano’s signature go-to move on top, but wasn’t able to escape. But late in the match, when it looked like Suriano might be getting some back points, Arujau lifted his leg, sat through and came out on top with a cradle to gain the reversal with less than 10-seconds on the clock and held it tight until time ran out to claim the 125-pound title.
 
It is the absolutely clutch performance of Vitali Arujau that makes him the FloWrestler of the Week.


 
 
Other FloWrestler of the Week Nominees
 
 
The Cadet World Champ looked to be in mid-season form as he mowed down the field to claim the 135-pound Journeymen Classic title. He said before the tournament that he wanted to "impose his will" and it's pretty apparent that he did. Although he looked inpressive going into his finals bout with Michigan’s #7-Kanen Storr, who is a recent verbal commit to Iowa State, his performance against Storr stole the show. Everyone knows about Yianni D’s deadly cradle, and on Sunday we got to witness it again as he locked it up tight and pinned Storr in 2:27.
 
 
He might be the grinder of the tournament after how he fought back to get the come-from-behind win over #4-Tyler Warner. Warner took the early lead and held it up until there was just 2-seconds left in regulation. Rivera kept coming forward until collecting bother of Warner’s ankles on the edge of the mat to tie the score at 3-3 and force overtime. Rivera wasn’t able to score an escape, but Warner’s decision to drop down to a leg two-times in a row earned Rivera a point when Warner was hit for stalling both times. Warner tied it up with an escape in the next ride-out period to tie it up at 4-4, but that would be the end of his escape ability as Rivera road him out for the win in the final 30-second period to win, 5-4.
 
 
 
The eighth-grader wrestled well beyond his years to take third after losing his first, and only, match of the day to #10-Patrick Glory, who went on to win the title at 113. Glory was able to hold him scoreless, but that would be the last time he was denied victory. He came back to defeat Chase Zollman 2-0 and Kelan McKenna 5-2 to earn a spot in the third place match against Pennsylvania state champ Tyson Klump. The two went to overtime and it was Saunders who came out with the 4-2 sudden victory win.